Swaging tools



April 30, 1968 A. CHAMPION 3,380,273

SWAGING TOOLS Filed Apri1 l2, 1965 United States Patent 3,380,273 SWAGING TOOLS Alfred Champion, Kings Langley Engineering Co.

Limited, Station Road, Kings Langley, Herttordshire,

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A swaging tool comprising a longitudinal shank to enter the pipe end, a transverse slot in the shank, a ball disposed in the slot and resting upon a hardened metal insert which is let into a longitudinal eccentric slot in the shank the arrangement being such that when the tool is turned in one direction the ball is moved to the deep end of the slot so that it is flush or only slightly above the level of the shank surface and when the tool is turned in the other direction the ball is moved to the shallow end of the slot so that the ball projects radially beyond the shank surface and swages the pipe.

This invention relates to the provision of an improved swaging tool primarily for use in making swaged rings in ductile metal pipes. Pipe couplings making use of swaged rings at or near the pipe ends which are to be joined are quite well known and a number of proposals have also been made for the provision of simple and effective swaging tools for use in making the swaged rings.

Known swa-ging tools have proved to be very effective but there is some difficulty with small pipes having a diameter of say /z" or less.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved construction of swaging tool for use with small pipes.

According to the present invention we provide a swaging tool com-prising a longitudinal shank to enter the pipe end, a transverse slot in the shank, a ball disposed in the slot and resting upon a hardened metal insert which is let into a longitudinal eccentric slot in the shank the arrangement being such that when the tool is turned in one direction the ball is moved to the deep end of the slot so that it is flush or only slightly above the level of the shank surface and when the tool is turned in the other direction the ball is moved to the shallow end of the slot so that the ball stands proud and swages the pipe.

With a swaging tool of this construction the main part of the tool may be of relatively pool quality metal and only the ball and the eccentric insert need be of hardened metal. As an example the ball may be a ball intended for use in a ball bearing while the hardened insert may be a needle roller intended for use in a needle roller hearing.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect reference is now directed to the accompanying drawings which illustrate by way of example a /8" swaging tool in accordance with this invention. In the drawings FIGURE 1 is a side view of the tool;

FIGURE 2 is a view at right angles to FIGURE 1 with the ball removed from the slot for clarity;

FIGURE 3 is an end view in the direction of the arrow A in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a section on the line XX in FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line XX of FIGURE 2 showing in dash-dot lines the position of the ball when in the deep end of the slot (at the right) and the position of the ball when in the shallow end of the slot (at the left).

33%,273 Patented Apr. 39, 1968 Referring to the drawings the tool has an enlarged head 1 with a shoulder 2 to rest against the end of the pipe and a shank 3 with a transverse slot 4. An eccentric hardened insert 5 is let into a hole bored in the end of 5 the shank 3. In manufacture the slot 4 is cut across the shank and the hole to receive the insert is drilled to meet the slot-naturally these steps can if desired be carried out in the reverse order. The hardened insert is then driven into the eccentric hole as a force fit and a ball is inserted into the slot, the edges. of the slot being slightly burred or turned over to prevent the ball coming out again.

In operation the shank part of the tool is inserted into the pipe end with the ball at the deep end 6, of the slot. The tool is then turned so that the inner end moves clockwise in FIGURE 3 so that the ball is moved round to the shallow end 7 of the slot due to the friction of the ball against the pipe; a few more turns will complete a swage, turning being effected by a tommy bar 9 inserted into the hole 8 in the head of the tool.

Naturally although we have referred to a /2 tool and a tool these are examples only and larger and smaller tools in accordance with the invention may if desired he provided.

In one very convenient construction a tool may be provided with one size of shank on one side of the head and with another size of shank on the other side of the head, e.g. a A on one side and a on the other. In addition it may in some cases be possible to provide a tool with more than two shanks of diiferent sizes; in one such construction the head may be like the hub of a wheel with the desired number of shanks projecting outwards like spokes.

I claim:

1. A swaging tool for pipes comprising:

(a) a longitudinal shank constructed and arranged to enter the pipe to be swaged by the tool, through an end of the pipe;

(b) means defining a transverse slot in the peripheral surface of said shank;

(c) means defining a longitudinal hole in said shank through one end thereof, said hole intersecting said slot eccentrically of the longitudinal axis of said shank;

(d) a hardened metal insert securely received in said hole and projecting into the slot; said inert due to the eccentricity of said hole being closer, transversely along the slot in one sense, to the peripheral surface of the shank, than in the opposite sense; thereby respectively defining between said insert and said peripheral surface a shallow end of the slot and a deep end of the slot;

(e) a ball received in the transverse slot, said ball being movable therein angularly of the longitudinal axis of the shank between a first position wherein the ball occupies the deep end of the slot and lies substantially completely within the slot, and a second position wherein the ball occupies the shallow end of the slot, engages the insert and projects radially beyond the peripheral surface of the shank for swaging the pipe; the ball being movable between said positions by rotation and counter-rotation of the tool in the pipe.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 70 CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner.

K. C. DECKER, Assistant Examiner. 

